I did read your post correctly. I understand that all schools have to report these figures. I understood that before you posted. It is the award scheme that I am questioning. Is it really mandatory for a school to have such a scheme? And why does the scheme have to be set up so that it ties in exactly with the way the school has to report to the LEA? So the school gets marked down because the child misses registration. Fine. The school could still give an attendance award for the child if it was for an appointment such as this which cannot easily be moved. It seems like the school just wants to pass on the black mark to the child who is coping with a difficult health condition.With respect, I dont think you read my post correctly. It is a system in all ALL schools set by the Government not by individual 'inflexible' schools.
Students in primary school cannot truant as they cannot get outside the school without a parent. In secondary school the register is often taken every lesson. It is definitely taken after lunch, not a lot of point in going missing for a couple of hours and very likely to be missed.
The incentive scheme is just that, to encourage students to come in every day. It is just as unfair on a student who gets very unwell and cannot attend school through no fault of their own.
What happens when a school bus is late? 40 or so children get a black mark, again through no fault of their own? So the school gets grief from the LEA unfairly but that's no reason to unfairly pass that onto a child. Seems a childish tit for tat to me.
On the upside though this daft system does teach a life lesson. Life is unfair sometimes no matter how hard you try.